Reading the Harry Potter series
by GendryaCaesar
Summary: One day at Hogwarts, a box of the Harry Potter books comes out of nowhere and hits Harry on the head. Harry and his friends read the Harry Potter books, and while reading he ends up falling for Remus Lupin, who would never love him back. Right? HPRL slash.
1. Chapter 1

Fourteen year old Harry Potter walked outside Hogwarts on a cloudy day (it looked liked it was about to rain), he was completely alone by the lake, when it happened. "It" meaning a box of books fell on his head, and landed on the ground.

"Ow!" Harry exclaimed, rubbing his head and reaching down to pick up the box. It was heavier than he thought, however, and he dropped it in surprise and it landed on his foot. "OW!" He rubbed his foot and knelt on the ground, opening the simple brown, cardboard box. "_Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,_" he read, "_Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets..._What in the..."

What were these books? He didn't know there were books written about him. On top of the box there was an envelope addressed to him, and he opened it and read it. "Dear Harry," he mumbled to himself. "I expect you are confused at finding these books. Let me help you out a bit. I'm you, but I'm thirty eight years old." Wow, thought Harry, and he continued reading. "These books will help you change what will happen in the future. Don't pass this off as some kind of bullcrap, a joke or whatever. People you care about will die in the future if you don't read these, and change mistakes you will read about. Enclosed is a list of the people you will need to read these books as well. Good luck. Your future self, Harry."

Harry's head was spinning in confusion, but he picked up the list anyway:

1. Hermione Granger

2. Ron Weasley

3. Ginny Weasley

4. Fred Weasley

5. George Weasley

6. Sirius Black

7. Remus Lupin

8. Severus Snape

9. Albus Dumbledore

10. Minerva McGonagall

11. Draco Malfoy

12. Neville Longbottom

13. Nymphadora Tonks

"Well," said Harry to himself, "this should be interesting." He picked up the box after putting the letter in, being more discreet about it this time, and he headed for Dumbledore's office. Unfortunately for Harry, he was too deep in thought to look where he was going, and he ran smack into Snape. The box hit Snape with a great force and he staggered back, the wind knocked out of him momentarily, and when he regained his balance he glared menacingly down at Harry.

"What is the meaning of this, Potter?" Snape spat.

Harry tried not to laugh at what had just happened, because it really was hysterical. And the look on Snape's face… "I need to see Professor Dumbledore," Harry insisted. "It's important."

"You realize the world does not revolve around you, you arrogant little-" Snape started, but was interrupted by one Albus Dumbledore.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, a warning tone in his voice. "Hello, Harry. What seems to be the problem?"

"This, sir," Harry said, reaching for the letter in the box and handing it to Dumbledore. Dumbledore read it, and Harry watched the expressions change on his face as he read. Confusion…understanding…confliction…a hint of fear?

"Ah," Dumbledore finally said.

"What is it, Headmaster?" asked Snape. Dumbledore gave the letter to him and Snape quickly read through it, and he looked up and glared at Harry.

"If this is some silly idea of a joke-"

"It's not," Harry promised. "Have a look for yourself, professor." He opened the box, and Snape glanced at it and took one of the books, specifically _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_. After a moment, he closed the book, his expression unreadable. "Very well." He coughed awkwardly.

"Excellent, Severus," Dumbledore approved. "I shall gather the others."


	2. Chapter 2

When Harry entered Dumbledore's office later, everyone was already there, he was late. He blushed. "Sorry I'm late," apologized Harry as he took a seat between Ron and Professor Lupin. "Hello, Professor Lupin."

"Hello, Harry," Lupin greeted him, smiling warmly at him. Harry's heart fluttered, and he swallowed and smiled back, wondering about what he had just felt. "I promised we'd see each other again."

McGonagall cleared her throat, and Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as he raised his eyebrows at Harry. "Right, then," said McGonagall. "Let's get started. She reached for the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. "Who wants to read?"

"I'll do it," Ron offered, taking the book from McGonagall. He opened the book to the first page and began reading.

** Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

Harry snorted, and people sniggered.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved with anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. **

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache.**

"Couldn't have described him better myself," muttered Harry, and Ron grinned.

** Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.**

At this, everyone dissolved into fits of giggles. Harry laughed so hard he gasped for breath, and he almost didn't catch the wonderful sound of Lupin's laughter-but when he did he found it was like velvet. He had really missed his professor when he resigned and left. Harry wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes at he pulled himself together and sat up, and Ron continued.

** The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

** The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that someone would discover it. **

A swelling of anger filled Harry, and Lupin must have noticed his offended expression, for he tried to reassure Harry. "I think what the author meant to say is the secret about wizards."

Harry nodded and thanked Lupin, wondering if later when they got a moment alone he should tell Lupin how much he had missed him. He set the thought aside at the moment, and listened to Ron.

**They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

Harry looked to Lupin for an explanation, but Lupin only smiled sympathetically at him and offered Harry his hand. Grateful, Harry grabbed Lupin's hand and squeezed it.

** Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"I think I've heard enough," Harry said, his voice ice cold, and he let go of Lupin's hand and left the room. Reading these books had never been a good idea, why had he even thought to read them? They were horribly offensive, those moronic Dursleys knew nothing about him!

Harry was just starting down the hall when he heard Professor Lupin's cool, mild voice calling him. "Harry! Harry, wait!"

Harry turned, a lump in his throat. He swallowed, but it didn't go away, and he was on the verge of tears. "Professor," he mumbled, his voice broken.

"Harry, I'm so sorry," Lupin murmured soothingly, gathering Harry in his arms in a hug. Harry's heart leapt into his throat, Lupin's arms around him felt good, and he hugged Lupin back. "Sirius and I should have been there for you after that night, we should have raised you instead of the Dursleys. James and Lily would kill us-"

"No, they wouldn't," Harry protested. "Professor, don't-"

"Remus."

"Remus," Harry corrected himself, "don't beat yourself up. You're a werewolf, and Sirius was thrown into Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. Both of you are wonderful, and despite everything that's happened to me I think I'm lucky."

Lupin smiled. "Oh, Harry," he sighed, embracing Harry tightly. "I-don't know what to say."

Harry managed a weak smile. "Don't say anything," he objected. "I really missed you when you left, Remus."

"I missed you, too, Harry," said Lupin. "Shall we head back? We should probably continue reading."

Harry nodded, and hand-in-hand Harry and Lupin went back to Dumbledore's office, where everyone was chatting. They fell silent though when Harry sat back down, Lupin beside him.

"Are you okay, mate?" Ron asked.

"I'm fine, thanks," Harry reassured his best friend. "You can keep reading."

"All right," Ron said, his voice sounding uncertain.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

** None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

** At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because** **Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

Harry's eyes were full of tears of laughter again, he wished he could have been there to see that. He pictured Dudley throwing his cereal at the wall, it was definitely something the prat would do.

** It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sight of something peculiar-a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen-then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light.**

"Or it could have been Professor McGonagall," said Fred and George in unison, and said professor smiled knowingly.

** Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive-no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

** But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes-the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt…yes, that would be it.**

"Nope," Ginny interrupted, and Ron grinned at his sister.

**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills. **

"I'm sorry you had to grow up with him, mate," said Ron. "What a boring guy."

Harry burst out laughing, completely missing Lupin staring at him when he did so.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. ****_He_**** didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning.**

Fred and George laughed. "Owl-free," George repeated.

**He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

** He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin**.

"That's because they weren't collecting anything," Tonks commented.

** It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

** "The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"**

** "-yes, their son, Harry-"**

** Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

** He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking…no, he was being stupid.**

"He just figured that out now?" said Harry, and beside him Lupin chuckled.

Harry's heart swelled.

** Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure his nephew ****_was_**** called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her-if he'd had a sister like that…but all the same, those people in cloaks…**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door. **

** "Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset about being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today!"**

"Obviously not," Snape snorted.

** "Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

Fred and George did facepalms in unison, and Lupin groaned. "Oh dear," he murmured, and Harry grinned at his former teacher, and friend.

** And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

** Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had just been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"Charming man," said Tonks sarcastically.

"I know, right?" Harry agreed. "Try being raised by him."

Tonks shuddered.

"Does anyone else want to read?" Ron asked, holding the open book in front of him.

"I'll do it," Hermione volunteered, sitting to the left of Ron. Ron handed her the book and she began to read.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione began reading.

** As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw-and it didn't improve his mood-was the tabby cat he'd spotted this morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

** "Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

"Isn't he always loud?" Ron cut in, and Harry smirked.

** The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

"Definitely Professor McGonagall," said Fred and George in unison. "_Was_ it you, Professor?"

"You'll find out for yourselves soon enough," said McGonagall.

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

** Mrs. Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word (Won't!).**

"And it's still his favorite word," Harry declared.

** Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news: **

** "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

** "Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't** **know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early-it's not until next week, folks!"**

"Yeah, get your calendar straight," Tonks joked. "Gods."

** Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britian? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…**

** Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good.**

"Yeah, her tea was never good," said Harry. Lupin burst out laughing, and Harry smiled, glad he was able to make Lupin laugh.

** He cleared his throat nervously. "Er-Petunia, dear-you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

** As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

** "No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

** "Funny stuff on the news" Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls…shooting stars…and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"**

** "****_So_****?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

** "Well, I just thought…mayb**e**…it was something to do with…you know…****_her_**** crowd."**

** Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter". He decided he didn't dare.**

"Wimp," Sirius declared.

** Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son-he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

** "I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

** "What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

** "Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"Nasty?" Sirius glared, clenching his fists. "He's-"

"Pads," Lupin warned. But Harry was touched that his godfather cared.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

** He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down at Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

** Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters?**

"Oh, it has everything to do with the Potters," Sirius said.

** If it did…if it got out that they were related to a pair of-well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

** The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind…He couldn't see how he and Petunia might get mixed up in anything that might be going on-he yawned and turned over-it couldn't affect them…**

** How very wrong he was.**

"Yep, he jinxed it," said Ron.

** Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no signs of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

** A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.**

"He Apparated," Harry predicted. He'd read a bit about Apparating, but he didn't know much about it and he had never done it himself. And, from what he'd read, he didn't think he wanted to try.

The cat's tail twitched and it's eyes narrowed.

**Nothing like this man had ever been seem on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled buckled boots.**

"Professor Dumbledore," Sirius said, having figured out who the man was. "You wear heels?"

"_Sirius_," scolded Lupin, but he was laughing. Harry grinned, his godfather was funny. Dumbledore's blue eyes also twinkled in amusement.

**His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"Ha, I was right!" Sirius rejoiced.

"Who else would it have been?" Harry pointed out.

"True, very true," his godfather agreed.

** Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realized that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

"I like your boots, Professor Dumbledore," Sirius grinned, and Lupin shot him a look that made Harry bite back a laugh.

** He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

** He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again-the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve time he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him.**

"Cool," said Ron.

** If anyone looked out of their window now, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

** "Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"Ha, knew it!" Fred and George said together. McGonagall smiled.

** He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

McGonagall blushed.

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

** "My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

Of course this made everyone laugh even more, and McGonagall went from red to bright red and she pursed her lips, sitting up straighter.

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

** "All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

** Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

** "Oh, yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no-even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls…shooting stars…Well, they're not completely stupid."**

"Are you quite sure of that, Professor?" Harry said to McGonagall, and she smiled at him.

** "They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent-I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

** "You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

** "I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

** She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us at all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?**

** "A what?"**

** "A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

Everyone grinned at Dumbledore, who smiled back, eyes twinkling, and he offered everyone a lemon drop.

** "No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone-"**

** "My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like you can call myself by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense-for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." **

Everybody gasped, or winced, and they were shocked that Hermione actually said his name. Harry, on the other hand, smiled proudly at his friend.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. **

It was funny, the disapproving look that Dumbledore gave McGonagall then.

** "It all get so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

** "I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know-oh, all right,****_ Voldemort_****, was frightened of."**

Harry smiled at Professor McGonagall, happy that she had eventually given in saying Voldemort's name.

** "You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

** "Only because you're too-well-****_noble_**** to use them."**

** "It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Aaaah!" Sirius covered his ears. "Didn't really need to hear that, thank you. Leave out the details, would you, Hermione?"

Hermione grinned. "Sorry," was her answer, and Sirius groaned.

** Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

Harry began to anticipate what was coming, and he got that warm, fluttery feeling in his chest when Lupin wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

** It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true.**

McGonagall's blush returned at that.

** Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

** "What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are-are-that they're-****_dead_****."**

Harry swallowed and Lupin pulled him close, softly kissing his hair. Sirius looked over at them suspiciously, but neither Harry nor Lupin noticed, for their attention was focused on the other.

** Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. **

** "Lily and James…I can't believe it…I didn't want to believe it…Oh, Albus…"**

** Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know…I know…" he said heavily.**

** Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' son, Harry. But-he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke-and that's why he's gone."**

** Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

** "It's-it's ****_true_****?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done…all the people he's killed…he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding…of all the thing to stop him…but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

** "We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

** Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took out a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no number; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.**

"Wicked," Ron commented. "Do you still have it, Professor Dumbledore?"

Soft laughter was heard through the room as well as sniffles from hearing about what had happened to Harry, and Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed, Ron," he answered, and went over to his desk. He opened a drawer and took it out, handing it to Ron. It was passed around the room, and people examined it as Hermione continued reading.

** It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me ****_why_**** you're here, of all places?"**

** "I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"Some family," Lupin snorted. Harry smiled and rested his head on Lupin's shoulder, his heart swelling again with that unfamiliar feeling, but it was pleasant, and it warmed him. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

"Shh," said Harry quickly, reaching for his ex professor's hand and stroking the man's fingers. Lupin smiled and held Harry close.

**"You don't mean-you ****_can't_**** mean the people who live ****_here_****?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore-you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't** **find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son-I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

Harry looked over at Professor McGonagall in shock, touched, and her eyes twinkled like Dumbledore's would. Thank you, he mouthed. She nodded.

** "It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

** "A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. **

Slowly, in unison, everyone turned their heads to glare at Dumbledore. Dumbledore bowed his head miserably. "_Really_, Albus?" Lupin snarled. "He was just a _baby_! Those people _abused_ him! I can't-can't bear to think of-"

"Remus," Harry soothed, wiping the tears out of Lupin's eyes. "Don't cry."

Tears poured down Lupin's cheeks anyway. "Ten years, Harry," he whispered hoarsely. "_Ten years_ they treated you like sh-"

Harry gathered the man into his arms. "Shhh," he said softly, unable to resist wrapping his arms around Lupin's waist. "I've upset you."

At this, Lupin pulled back, giving Harry a hard look. Harry gulped as a gold color appeared in Lupin's amber eyes. "Never, Harry, not even for a bloody moment, _ever_ think it is your fault."

"Moony's right, Harry," Sirius agreed. "Don't you think things like that."

"I love you guys," Harry blurted out, and the three wrapped each other in a group hug.

Everybody smiled, happy for Harry that he had found family. Harry had never felt as safe as he did then, wrapped in the embrace of his family, Lupin and Sirius. Lupin wasn't just his friend, he was family, and that was the moment Harry knew that he loved Remus Lupin.

**AN: Daughter of the Full Moon-Based on Remus freaking out this chapter, yes, he definitely will freak out over the troll incident. And as you can imagine, Siri won't be too happy. It will be a while though until Remus and Harry kiss, I've decided when but I'm not telling:)**


	4. Chapter 4

** "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him!"**

"That's for damn sure," growled Lupin, and Harry squeezed his hand.

**"He'll be famous-a legend-I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in the future-there will be books written about Harry-"**

At this, everyone laughed, for it was very ironic as there were books written about him, they knew that now.

**"-every child in our world will know his name!"**

** "Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

Harry looked over at Dumbledore, surprised, he hadn't thought of this. Dumbledore only smiled slightly and turned his attention back to Hermione, the book in her lap.

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes-yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

Everyone laughed, and Professor McGonagall went very red.

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

** "You think it-****_wise_****-to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

** "I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

** "I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to-what was that?"**

** A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky-and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"My motorbike!" Sirius whooped, grinning widely. Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled in amusement.

Harry gaped. "You mean...the dream I had about the motorbike...it _wasn't _a dream?"

Dumbledore shook his head, smiling at Harry. Lupin, on the other hand, looked very impresed. Harry blushed.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to do to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so ****_wild-_****long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins.**

Everybody's laughter was uncontrollable by then, it was a good thing said gamekeeper was not present.

**In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Awwww, baby Harry," Tonks gasped, and Harry grinned.

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

** "Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

** "No problems, were there?"**

Sirius and Remus both blushed at that, both thought Dumbledore had meant getting the motorbike and both knew what they had been doing when Hagrid came to get the motorbike, he had almost walked in on them.

**"No, sir-house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

** Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

** "Is that where-?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

** "Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

** "Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

** "Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground."**

Once again, everyone turned to glare at the headmaster.

**"Well-give him here, Hagrid-we'd better get this over with."**

** Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursley's house.**

** "Could I-could I say goodbye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

Everyone burst out into fits of giggles.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

** "S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it-Lily an' James dead-an' poor little Harry off ter life with Muggles-"**

** "Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

Lupin snarled, and Harry jumped. "You. Left. Him. On. The. _Doorstep_?!" he screeched at Dumbledore, eyes glittering with gold. "In bloody _November_?!"

"Remus, I-" Dumbledore protested.

"Are you _insane_, Albus?!"

"Remus, calm down," Harry said, standing and pushing Lupin back onto the couch. "Look, I'm fine, I'm alive. See?"

Tears filled Lupin's eyes. "Harry," he choked, pulling said teenager into a tight hug. "I love you so much, Harry."

"Awwwwwwww," everyone chorused, and Lupin and Harry both blushed furiously.

"I love you, too, Remus," Harry agreed, and Hermione smiled at the two and kept reading.

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

** "Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

** "Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall-Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

** Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life, with a roar it rose into the air and off into the light.**

"Bye, motorbike," Sirius said, and everyone laughed.

**"I shall seen you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

** Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

** "Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

** A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley...He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter-the boy who lived!"**

"Well," said Hermione, closing the book. "That's the end of the first chapter."

"And a bloody long one it was," Sirius added.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "I guess we should call it a day, then. You all may leave."

And so they did.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room that night when he heard a cool mild voice say, "Mind if I join you, Harry?"

He looked up into Lupin's amber eyes and that pleasant feeling came right back. "Not at all."

Lupin smiled and sat down beside him on the couch. "Remus...thank you...for caring so much about the Dursleys and all that."

His former professor looked over at him in surprise. "Oh, Harry, it's no problem, really. Sirius and I should have raised you-"

"You couldn't help it," Harry said. "Sirius was in Azkaban and you're a werewolf, the Ministry would never have allowed it. And it _does_ mean something, Remus, it means the world to me that you care."

Lupin shook his head. "I should have taken you anyway, I should have run away with you...James and Lily would murder me..."

Harry blushed at the 'running away with you' part, though he wasn't sure why. "You're great, Remus. "

Lupin smiled and hugged him tightly, and Harry sighed and snuggled close to the werewolf. "I love you, Remy," he mumbled, already beginning to doze off. It had been a long day and he was exhausted.

Harry was right on the edge of sleep, but he was awake enough to hear Lupin's say, "I love you too, Harry," before he fell asleep. After a while Lupin fell asleep as well, and that was how Ron and Hermione found them when they arrived in the common room.

"Ronald, look," Hermione whispered, pointing to Harry and Lupin snuggled together on the couch.

"Geez Hermione, stop calling me that," Ron complained, then saw the two by the fire.

"That is so sweet," smiled Hermione. "Let's be quiet when we go upstairs so we don't wake them."

"Sure," Ron agreed, and they did their best not to wake the sleeping Harry and Lupin as they tiptoed upstairs, trying to hide their giggles.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"So who's going to read?" Dumbledore asked the next morning. In his seat beside Lupin, Harry yawned and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I'll read," Lupin answered. Harry grinned, he loved Lupin's velvety voice, he could listen to it all day.

_Wait. That's not normal, is it?_

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front garden and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door-**

** "**Hey, that rhymes," said Fred and George in unison.

"Oh yeah." Sirius grinned.

**It crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets-**

At this, everyone dissolved into fits of laughter. Harry laughed so hard tears streamed down his cheeks, and he completely missed the loving smile on Lupin's face.

When the laughter had finally died down, Lupin calmly continued.

**-but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding a bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged amd kissed by his mother.**

"Awww," said Sirius, and Harry could tell his godfather was trying not to laugh.

**The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too. **

** Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noice of the day. **

** "Up! Get up! Now!"**

** Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. **

** "Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before. **

"My motorbike," Sirius breathed. "Harry, that wasn't a dream, that was a memory."

"It was?" Harry caught the impressed look on Lupin's face, and he felt his face heat up.

** His aunt was back outside the door. **

** "Are you up yet?" she demanded. **

** "Nearly," said Harry. **

** "Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

** Harry groaned. **

** "What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

** "Nothing, nothing..."**

** Dudley's birthday-how could he have forgotten?**

"Gee, I wonder," snarled Sirius.

**Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept. **

Everyone turned their heads in unison to glare at Dumbledore.

"I _told_ you it was a bad idea." McGonagall glared at the headmaster.

Dumbledore looked guilty. "I'm sorry, Minerva-"

"Sorry isn't _enough_, Albus!" Lupin stood. "It's _never_ going to _be_ enough! Just the _thought_ of my m-of Harry going through that sickens me. And something tells me that's not the worst of it!" Harry noticed Lupin's slip-up, and wondered what he had been about to say.

"Remus, please sit down," Harry protested, tugging on Lupin's robes.

Lupin ignored him, his amber eyes shining gold. "Minerva told you, and still you didn't listen to her! You could have done something, convinced the Ministry but you did _nothing_, it was _your_ decision, you heartless bitch-"

"Remus!" Harry squeaked, horrified. At times like these, Lupin could be a bit scary.

"That will be enough, Lupin," Snape hissed, standing up as well.

"What do you care, Snivellus?" Lupin hissed back.

"He's the headmaster, of course," Snape replied. Harry could have sworn the Potions Master was blushing, but maybe it was a trick of the light.

Lupin sniffed the air and gave Snape a suspicious glance, sighed, and calmed down enough to continue reading.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. **

"Spoiled git," Harry muttered, and Lupin rubbed his back comfortingly. A shiver ran through Harry's body and he bit back a whimper.

_Okay, what the bloody hell is going on?_ he thought. _Why do I get all nervous and blush when I'm around Remus? It's not as if..._

_ Oh. _

_ Could it be?_

_ ..._

_ Well, shit. _

** Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise-unless of course it involved punching somebody. **

"Ha, good one Harry," Sirius commented.

Despite his head spinning with emotion and his horrifying theory, Harry forced a grin.

** Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast**.

"Well of course, Harry," Ron said, "you're a Seeker."

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinner than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was.**

"Will someone else please read?" Lupin hissed through gritted teeth, holding the book up.

"I can do it," Snape offered.

"Greasy bastard," Ron commented, and was elbowed in the ribs by Hermione.

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said as he took the book from Lupin.

"You can't give me detention, it's after term," Ron reminded him, a smug smile on his face.

"Then I will after term starts," Snape threatened, and he started where Lupin had left off.

**Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him in the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

"You liked your scar?" Ron asked, surprised.

Harry shrugged. "I didn't know the essence of it back then," he reminded him.

"That was a really good use of that word, Harry," Lupin complimented him, and Harry blushed.

These next few weeks were really going to be some long ones.

**AN: Sorry I haven't updated in a long time, I've been reading _Game of Thrones_ and _The Hobbit _at the same time and I've been really busy with school. Thank you all for reviewing-also, it is right after third year when they begin reading. **


	6. Chapter 6

** He had had it as long he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it. **

** "In the car crash when your parents' died," she had said. **

"How could a car crash kill Lily and James Potter?" Sirius gasped.

"That's exactly what Hagrid said when I told him," said Harry quietly.

** "And don't ask questions."**

** Don't ask questions-that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys. **

Sirius snorted. "What a charming woman."

Harry grinned but said nothing.

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. **

** "Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of morning greeting.**

"Not gonna work," Ron singsonged.

** About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest pf the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way-all over the place. **

Lupin chuckled. "Remind me to tell you the story of when James tried to cut his hair himself."

"I remember that," laughed Sirius.

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a largea pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel-Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. **

"You sure do have a way with words, Harry," commented Lupin, snickering into his hand.

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell. **

** "Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year. **

"Oh, for the love of-" snarled Lupin, and without thinking Harry grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. Lupin fell silent.

** "Darling, you haven't counted Aunt Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

** "All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. **

** Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over. **

At that, everyone began giggling.

** Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another ****_two_**** presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin. ****_Two_**** more presents. Is that all right?" **

** Dudley fought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty...thirty..."**

"Oh Merlin," Lupin rolled his eyes.

"At least James knew how to count-well, when it came to counting presents," Sirius added.

** "Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia. **

** "Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

"Spoiled brat," growled Lupin. Harry squeezed his hand reassuringly.

** Uncle Vernon chuckled. **

** "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. **

"That's hardly something to be proud of," said Hermione.

** At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried. **

"Why does he need a gold wristwatch?" Tonks said. "It's not as if he can tell time."

Harry sniggered.

** "Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg." She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction. **

** Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned. **

** "Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg hsd broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again. **

"What kind of cat names are those?" Sirius giggled. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"Well I never saw her again after I went to Hogwarts," Harry reminded him.

"True," his godfather agreed.

** "We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

** "Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

** The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there-or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand him, like a slug. **

"You're not a slug, Harry," Lupin said, stroking Harry's fingers.

Harry smiled. "I know," he said. "Thanks."

** "What about what's-her-name, your friend-Yvonne?"**

** "On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia. **

** "You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

** Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. **

"Doesn't she always look like that?" Ron joked.

"Oh yeah." Harry grinned.

** "And come bck and find the house in ruins?" she snarled. **

** "I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening. **

** "I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...and leave him in the car..."**

** "That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone..."**

** Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying-it had been years since he'd really cried-but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted. **

** "Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him. **

"_Dinky Duddydums_?" Tonks giggled.

"That was one good thing about living with the Dursleys," Harry told her. "I would've used it for blackmail if I'd gotten the chance."

**"I...don't...want...him...t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. **

** Just then, the doorbell rang- "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically-and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. **

** Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck. was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.**

"It wasn't the first time," Sirius told Harry. "Your parents and Remus and I took you to the zoo when you were a baby."

"Oh." Harry smiled at him.

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside. **

** "I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy-any funny business, anything at all-and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

** "I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly..."**

** But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did. **

"Does anyone else want to read?" Snape offered.

"I will," said McGonagall, taking the book.


	7. Chapter 7

** The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen. **

"Accidental magic," said Lupin. "When you're angry or scared, magic has a mind of its own." He offered Harry a warm smile.

"I know," Harry told him, returning the smile.

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been t all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for hos bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar."**

"That makes James' haircut seem not so bad," Lupin declared. Harry blushed.

**Dudley** **had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining himself at school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he ****_couldn't_**** explain how it had grown back so quickly. **

"That tears it," said Lupin in a terrifying voice, standing. "I will _kill_ those Dursleys!"

"Remus, wait," Harry begged. "You're being irrational!"

"I will kill them!" Lupin repeated, and he seemed to disappear in thin air.

"Uh-oh," said Sirius. "He Apparated. That can't be good."

Harry gulped. "Where do you think he's going?"

"My guess would be number four," Sirius gulped.

-at number four, Privet Drive-

The Dursleys had just finished lunch when they heard a furious pounding on the door. "What in the devil-?! Just a minute!" shouted Vernon. He opened the door to face a furious Remus Lupin, wand pointed towards Vernon. Petunia, who had her arms around Dudley and was standing several feet behind Vernon, shreiked.

"Who are you?" squeaked Vernon.

"Remus Lupin," snarled Lupin, venturing into the house. He backed the three into the living room. "I just happened to hear-specifically, might I add-the ways you have treated my mate."

"Your _mate_?" said Vernon. "I don't know-"

"_Harry_, you worthless _idiot_," Lupin growled, poking Vernon's neck with his wand. Vernon swallowed. "_Confundo_!"

"W-what did you just do to him?" Petunia demanded.

"You'll find out soon enough," Lupin said, his voice ice cold. With that, he turned to the door, pocketing his wand.

-Back at Hogwarts-

Sirius had his head in his hands while Dumbledore paced the room. "This is bad, this is very bad," said McGonagall. "What are we going to do, Albus?"

Lupin burst into the room then and Harry stood. "Where the hell have you been?" Sirius demanded.

Lupin grinned triumphantly. "I put a spell on Vernon."

"You did _what_?" Harry gasped. "Which spell? And _please_ tell me it wasn't one of the Unforgivable Curses."

"It wasn't," said Lupin. "It was the Confundus Charm."

"He's going to kill me next time he sees me," Harry predicted.

"Which is why you are never going to see them again, Harry," Lupin told him. "You are coming to live with me and Sirius at Lupin Manor."

Harry grinned, he couldn't believe it. "Really?! Oh Remus I love you so much!" He ran straight into Lupin's arms, hugging him tightly.

"Hold on just a second," said Dumbledore. "The Ministry will never-"

"Sod off you old coot," Sirius cut in, "the Ministry can piss off and so can you."

"Sirius!" Harry and Lupin said at once.

"_Remus and I_ have custody of Harry now," Sirius insisted. "Now can we _please_ get back to reading?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Very well," he said, turning to McGonagall with the book in her hands. "Minerva?"

Professor McGonagall sighed and opened the book.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him to wear a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls).**

"Disgusting," Ron commented.

"You should've seen it," said Harry, and Ron shuddered.

** The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. **

"Wow," said Lupin sarcastically. "Not punished? That's a first."

Harry just smiled and leaned his head on the werewolf's shoulder.

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was standing on the chimney. **

"You never told me about this," Lupin said in a disapproving tone.

"Me neither," Sirius added.

"I knew you both would freak out," said Harry defensively.

"Damn right," Lupin muttered.

"I love you so much," Harry told Lupin, then turned to Sirius. "Both of you."

Everyone smiled, they were happy for Harry that he had finally found a real family.


End file.
